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The Beginning of the Presbyterian Church in Manti

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nonreligious lectures. So the matter was dropped again. It wasn't easy to build a Non-Mormon church in Manti in the small congregation was generally poor, and communication with other organized Presbyterian congregations was almost non-existent. In spite of the problems, two years later, on April 20th, 1880* a bui 1 ding cornmittee, consisting of five members of the took was trying to contact Mr. W. H. Folson, who was then the resident a re hi tect on the Manti Temp Is. It snows the open attitude of the Mormon Community that even the Temple bui1d they house of worship. They were not able to talk to Spicer, the sub-architect, instead. Since there weren't any funds available yet and the committee disn t have any plans to raise any, the talk with Mr. Spicer didn't bring any further results. A new effort to start a building was made in August. The committee contacted Mr. Peter Van Houten, an architect of Salt Lake City, who sketched a plan, the members of the of the proposed building. Van nouten offered to make free detai'ed drawings. The offer was accepted, a no arter the drawings were received, Mr. Van Houten was hired as the architect. In September the moeny started coming in. The Women's Presbyterian Missionary Society of Buffalo collected and sent SI ,000 for the erection of a church building in Manti. Public notice was given that the building committee was ready to receive bids for the rockwork. Mr. M. C. Andreassen was contracted for the rockwork on the proposed building on November 9th, 1880. It was agreed that he would be paid $1.17 per perch, finished. (A perch is 24 3/4 cubic feet of stone.) Mr. Mr. Andreassen might well have been a local Mormon, who was willing to work and help the Presbyterian Community to establish their church. In December Mr. Van Houten came all the way from Salt Lake City to Manti to explain his drawings to the workmen. -97-